The Shield
by drummergirl95
Summary: A very modern pirate captain ends up in Neverland with Captain Hook. A battle ensues over who's in charge, but it doesn't help that the modern pirate is hiding something, from Hook and her crew. HookxOC
1. Chapter 1

**AN. I don't own any Peter Pan's characters, but I can dream. I do own Jen, her crew and her ship, so haha! This will be rated M at the moment for language, violence, and some sexual situations (not until later chapters). So you have been warned.**

"Fuck! I told you, your fucking brother would rat us out, Connors!"

Jennifer Connors spun away from the helm at her furious first mate. "Shut your fucking whining Johnny! My brother didn't rat us out, he didn't even know I was home. And you will refer to me as captain or you'll find yourself swimming home. Get me?" When Johnny didn't answer her immediately she raised her pistol, "I said, 'Get me?'"

Johnny nodded reluctantly. "Yes ma'am, I get you."

Jennifer put her gun back in her thigh holster. "Take the wheel," she barked. As soon as Johnny was situated she turned to the other monitors. A weather system was moving in off the Grand Banks, which was good for them and bad for them. It was sword fishing season, so if a storm were moving in, the Coast Guard would be too busy worrying about rescuing other ships. But if the storm was bad enough, it could further damage her already damaged ship. She picked up the comm., "Engine room?"

The radio crackled. "Engine room, aye."

"How close are we to having that second engine Brian? My ass is starting to hurt."

She heard a chuckle. "What ma'am, your former compatriots getting too close for comfort? Don't worry Cap'n, we should have this baby purring in a couple of hours."

Through the open windows of the bridge, Jennifer heard a voice, "Unidentified ship, heave to immediately and prepare to be boarded."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Brian, we don't have a couple of hours. Make it snappy engineer." She turned from the radio to Johnny. "Sound the general alarm."

Johnny pressed a button, before looking out to sea. A sound fogbank greeted their eyes. "Cap'n?"

"I was thinking the same thing. Make for that fogbank on the double." Jennifer ran from the bridge to the deck. "Jimmy!"

A large man ran up to her. "Aye, Cap'n?"

"Do you think you can make that antennae mast of that cutter over there go away?"

Jimmy made a great show of searching the horizon, and let his already thick Scottish brogue take over. "Oh, ya mean that wee thing over there? Sure thing Cap'n, it'll be gone in a jiff."

Jennifer grinned. "Good man." She grabbed the on-deck comm. "Gun deck to bridge."

"Bridge to gun deck, aye."

"Raise the starboard aft gun Jonny."

"Aye aye, Cap'n."

As the gun rose Jennifer turned to gunman. "Mr. Collins, please make that antennae go away." As she walked towards the bridge she didn't need to look back to see if the antennae was gone. The deep thrum of the battery firing and the subsequent cheer of her crew told her that it had been destroyed. Once back in the bridge she relaxed a little. If the cutter caught them, her men would put up a fight, worthy of Blackbeard himself.

She waited for the next loudspeaker announcement from the cutter behind her, but it didn't come. Instead her radio came to life. "Jen, I know it's you. Heave to and let us talk about this."

She picked up the radio. "Hey Dan, how did ya know it was me?"

"Because I'm your big brother and I know everything. That, and mom told me you were home. How'd you even get a stolen Coast Guard cutter into Boston harbor?"

Jen looked over at Johnny. She nodded as he mouthed "20 minutes." "Danny, you'd be surprised by how many people don't actually work for you. Plus, when a big ship enters the harbor and has lots of scary people on it, no one really asks you questions."

"Jen, do you honestly think you can hide in a fog bank. Just because you knocked out my radar, doesn't mean there aren't other cutters out there, looking for you."

"Dan, I know there aren't. All of Sector 1 is hanging out by the Banks waiting for that storm."

"Plus Jen, I know your ship is damaged, or else you'd be running your second engine which outclasses everything in this sector."

Jen subconsciously looked up at the indicator panel. The light indicating the second engine was still off. "You know Dan, I thought I took your antennae out."

Dan actually laughed. "Yeah, ya did. I'm surprised you didn't know this. There is another radio transmitter on your ship. We patched it through to the regular radio to…" Dan stopped talking.

Jen broke off and ran to the main control panel. On it were the switches to raise and lower the guns. She switched them all up before turning to the radio jammer. She put the jamming signal on as high as it would go. She then ran to the door of the bridge. "Mr. Collins! Open fire, all batteries! Now!"

"10 minutes until fogbank Captain," said Johnny.

During these cat and mouse games with the US Navy and Coast Guard Jen let her guard down a little. She acted like the rogue pirate she was, joking with her crew. But when capture seemed truly imminent, her military training shown through, and the ship acted like a true military ship.

"Thank you Mr. Greer. When we have reached the fog, wait 3 minutes then hard a starboard. If they can't find us they'll fire a volley, I don't want that hitting us by chance, understood?"

"Yes Captain."

Jen leaned on the table holding her charts. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she shook her head. She was running out of time. _'Damn it, I knew coming into Boston with only one good engine was a bad idea. The bloody mob only works on their schedule, and if we're caught with this cargo, betraying my nation will be the least of my problems.'_ "Mr. Greer?"

"Yes Captain?"

"Instruct the bo'sun's mate to prepare the cargo to be thrown overboard. I want it weighted so it cannot be retrieved. The Coast Guard cannot find us with it."

"You're not gonna tell me what it is, are you ma'am?"

"John, I don't know what it is. All they told me was that it had to get to Egypt, that's all I know." Jen looked down at her watch. Five minutes to the fog. She grabbed the radio. "Bridge to comm."

"Comm to bridge, aye."

"Mr. Jennings, find out where that radio signal is coming from, and destroy it."

"Aye aye Captain. I'm scanning the ship as we speak."

Jen did her best to block out the sounds of the battle erupting around her. 2 minutes until the fog. Maybe, just maybe they'll make it. She allowed herself one quick sigh of relief, but it was too soon. The deck underneath her bucked, sending her flying into the chart table. Burning rubber and gunpowder betrayed what had happened. They had been hit. "Bridge to engineering."

She heard coughing on the other end of the line. "Engineering to bridge, aye."

"Mr. Jones, damage report."

"Damage report, aye ma'am. Just give me a moment."

Jen was about to yell, but was cut off. "Second engine is fully operational ma'am."

"You are a godsend Brian." She turned to Johnny. "Cut in the second engine and lets lose these bastards for good."

"Comm to bridge!"

"What is it?"

"Captain, we've found the radio signal. It's a man. Jimmy Taylor, the new kid."

Jen clenched her jaw. "Greer, hold off on the second engine." She picked up the radio. "Jennings, bring him out on deck."

She didn't wait for his assent, but walked straight to the deck. She watched impassively as the young man was carried onto the deck, struggling between two of the stronger men on her ship. He was thrown at her feet.

He looked up, tears in his eyes. "Captain, I didn't want to do it. They said they were gonna throw me in jail if I didn't help catch you. I didn't want to do it, I swear!"

"Stand up!" she barked. The man slowly got to his feet. "Look around you," she ordered. "Some of these men have been with me for years. They left the military with me, turning their backs on their families, their lives and their country. I picked you up, a sniveling brat on the dock in Gloucester. I made you a man! And this is how you thank me? You betrayed your fellow sailors and me. We are like a family aboard this ship, we all look out for one another. We trusted you, and you have betrayed that trust. Good bye Jimmy." Jen was deaf to his pleas. She looked towards the cutter, knowing her brother was watching her. She raised the gun, and without even flinching, pulled the trigger, shooting the young man in the head, watching him fall overboard. She continued watching the cutter until they were obscured by the fog. She walked slowly back to the bridge, letting everyone know who was captain. "Johnny, cut in the second engine now. And turn 5 points abaft the starboard beam."

She sat down in the captain's chair, thinking. "And John, throw the cargo overboard. We're done doing the mob's dirty work. There are too many leaks in it. Every time we do a job for them, my ship gets attacked."

"Aye aye Captain." Johnny visibly relaxed. He was grateful for Jen's decision. Mystery cargoes were bad luck.

As he went to convey her orders, Jen walked onto the bow deck, watching it cut through the waves. She saw the splash as the cargo was dumped overboard, thinking little of it, until a strange sight greeted her eyes. The water looked like something had pulsed under it. She shook her head, decided to think little about it until Johnny called her. "Captain, we're gaining speed."

**AN. I hope you guys like it. If you have any questions about the nautical terms you may ask me. So, press that awesome little button and review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN. You know guys, I know people have been reading the story. I don't mind if you review, I really don't. It gives me warm fuzzy feelings inside. And as usual, I don't own anything Peter Pan.**

Five Years Earlier

"Congratulations on you new command Captain Connors."

Jen shook Admiral Brinks' hand. "Thank you sir, I am honored to take command of the Falcon."

The aged admiral looked at the newest cutter in the United States Coast Guard fleet. "Well Connors, you helped build her, so she's yours. You've already invested so much time into her; you're the only one I trust to treat her right."

Jen chuckled. "Thank you sir, that's very kind." She turned as Commander Greer touched her shoulder. "Yes, commander?"

"Ma'am, they're ready for you to explain the specs of the Falcon."

She nodded, "Of course. Excuse me Admiral." Jen climbed aboard the Falcon, standing behind the podium. "Ladies and gentleman, may I present to you, the USCGC Falcon. The latest technology in our fight against the pirates that are threatening to retake the seas. The Falcon's main purpose is deception. She will be painted and appropriately beaten up to appear to be a freighter. She holds two different engines. A merchant engine found in most vessels, and a new engine, found only in this cutter. It can push the Falcon up to speeds of 34 knots, allowing us to chase down pirates quickly and efficiently. She also has six guns that rise from the deck." The crowed muttered in amazement as the six guns rose up from the deck. "Most of the cargo space is actually crew's quarters, so we hold twice the amount of men than most cutters, making us a force to be reckoned with." Jen smiled with pride at the look on the guest's faces. "Now, any questions?"

The reporters that had remained in the back of the party surged forward. "Captain, don't you believe that sharing this amount of information on the ship could warn pirates not to attack your ship?"

"Right now, the ship isn't painted. On the sea it will look completely different, so if pirates avoid attacking ships this size, then we have still stopped attacks. But this does not give them enough information to be able to pick this ship out of a crowd, so no, it won't stop them."

Another reporter pushed forward, stopping other questions. "Captain Connors, what do you say towards the reports that you have been confiscating only some of the cocaine that you've been finding and selling and using the rest?"

Jen clenched her jaw and glared at the offending reporter. "That report has been settled between the commission and I, and was deemed false. I would appreciate if the matter wasn't brought up again."

But the reporter wasn't satisfied. "How do we know you won't just take this ship and run and away and never come back?"

Jen turned as Greer touched her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. She nodded before turning back to the reporter. "Because I have served with the Coast Guard for over 10 years, as enlisted and officer. I take my job very seriously, and would never do anything to jeopardize the safety and security of this country. Thank you, no more questions." Jen left the cutter and walked to the admiral. "Sir, we've had reporters of a pirate taking a Norwegian Cruise ship."

Brinks nodded. "Go! But we're going to talk about this cocaine thing later."

"Yes sir." Jen shook his hand and turned towards Greer who was still on deck, and nodded. His voice was heard over the loudspeaker. "All hands on deck, I repeat, all hands on deck. Let's get this baby moving."

The guests were astonished as Jen ran back up the gangplank, barking orders. "Cut in the second engine, raise up the guns! If this is who I think it is, let's nail this bastard once and for all!"

As the cutter left port pulling 15 knots before jumping up to 25, Jen shook her head laughing. "What is it Skip?"

Jen smirked. "I thought Brinks' was gonna have a heart attack when that reporter asked the coke question. He had no idea he just gave command of the most powerful cutter in the fleet to someone who has technically lost all right to command."

Greer laughed as well. "When do you think it's going to show up that you and the rest of the crew have outstanding warrants against us?"

Jen sighed and sat back down on the captain's chair. "Regardless when it shows up there's nothing they can do about it. There isn't a ship out there that can catch us. We have enough supplies to make it to South Africa where we paint her, and put up some new colors."

"Can we put up a pirate flag?"

Jen laughed, "Whoa there Jack Sparrow, lets stick with an Irish flag, that work?"

Greer laughed with her. "Sure thing skipper."

**AN. Ok, I hope you guys liked it. So please, review. Doesn't have to be long, just click that little button.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN. I am so sorry this took me forever. I fell behind in all of my stories. Thanks to Ice Demon Ranger for getting me up off my butt and back to the story.**

Present Day:

Jen rushed back to the bridge. "What the hell do you mean we're gaining speed?"

Greer shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I dunno Cap, it's like we're stuck in a current or something. I can't explain it."

Jen shoved him out of the way. "Move!" She checked the readouts, frowning. "You're right, it doesn't make sense." She grabbed the comm, "Bridge to engineering. Brian, shut the engines down now, full stop!"

The boat shuddered as the engines cut out, but didn't stop. Greer shook his head, "Jen, we're moving even faster."

Jen ignored the use of her first name and yelled into the intercom. "Full reverse!"

Brian protested. "Captain, we're going too fast, it'll put too much of a strain on the ship, we'll blow the engine again!"

Jen put the comm down, "Fuck! What the hell is going on?"

"Maybe it's got something to do with the cargo?"

Jen shook her head. "No, it was already dumped." She froze, "And that's when we started gaining speed. Johnny, I don't know what the hell is going on, but it can't be good." She reached for the intercom again, setting it for the whole ship. "This is the captain, lock all bulkhead doors, I repeat, lock all bulkhead doors."

Greer looked at her worriedly. "Jen, do you think we're gonna sink."

"I don't know, but I'm not going to take that chance. Get all men below, I just want you and me in the bridge."

Greer turned to carry out her orders, but a bright light flashed across the horizon. The ship shuddered as though it hit something. Greer stared down at the floor, praying for the first time in a while. Barely audible over the alarms blaring throughout the ship, he heard Jen mutter, "Not like this, please, not like this."

A sudden impact made the ship tumble bow over keel. Connor rolled across the floor, slamming into the window, cracking it. As suddenly as the ship started spinning, it stopped. Jen rolled off the console onto the floor, Greer not moving after crashing into the captain's chair, crotch first.

"Ohh, what the fuck was that?" Greer asked.

Jen put her hand up against a slice on her forehead, trying to stop the bleeding. "I have absolutely no idea." She stood up, balancing herself against the consoles. A quick check of the indicators showed no immediate signs of damage, besides some simple topside damage. She grabbed for the comm, "All hands topside, damage report, now!"

Jen was so busy with checking the systems she hadn't looked out the windows of the bridge. Johnny nudged her, "Jen, you should check this out."

Jen ignored her. "Check what out? It's just the ocean. Why is no one reporting in?"

"Uh, Jen? Land ho."

Jen looked up at Johnny confused. He pointed out the window. She straightened up, shocked by the sight that greeted her eyes. "Jesus, its like a fucking screensaver."

She left the cabin, heading to the main deck where most of the men stood transfixed by the mysterious island. She cleared her throat, "Alright guys, we've all seen islands before. Finish squaring everything away and fixing any damage and we'll go check it out."

The men nodded and started moving away to do their allotted tasks. Jen returned to the bridge, grabbing the radio. "Brian, come on up to the bridge, OK?"

"Be right there Jen."

"Captain?"

Jen pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, Johnny?"

"I did a sweep to get our position and figure out the lay of the land."

"And where exactly are we Mr. Greer?"

"I don't know. Nothing came up, no radar signals, no satellites. It's absolutely quiet out there Jen. I have sent someone to check out the antennae, but we should at least be receiving something."

"OK, so we get our position the old fashioned way. Go grab the sextant from my cabin."

"Sure thing Jen."

Brian passed Johnny as he walked onto the bridge. "Well, there's good news and some bad news."

Jen waved her hand, motioning him on.

"Well, both engines are ok, we didn't strain them too much. The bad news is we're a little short on fuel. We had to bug out before the boys finished refueling. Though I think we should be able to make it to Greenland, they've always been good about cutting us a deal."

Jen continued looking at her charts of the region between the two tropics, desperately trying to figure out their position. "Brian, take a look out those windows for me and tell me if you think we'll be able to make it Greenland."

Johnny returned to the bridge with Jen's sextant. "Jen, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the comm system. And I don't think," he held up the antique tool, "That this will help either."

Johnny motioned them outside and pointed to the sun.

The sun burned strong in the sky. It lay close to the horizon, but still burned strongly, stronger than any of them had ever seen. It seemed to take up half the sky. "You're right Johnny. I can't use this, it looks too big, we would never get an accurate reading. We'll just have to wait for nightfall."

"What now Jen?"

"Find a natural harbor and anchor the ship. Send the men ashore to search for supplies. And tell Jimmy that I want them armed."

Johnny left to relay her orders. Jen moved into the bridge, sitting in the captain's chair, gazing at the island.

"This doesn't bother you Jen, us showing up at a tropical island when 30 minutes ago we were off the coast of Massachusetts? Something ain't right here."

Jen laughed harshly. "You think I'm OK with this? I have been sailing since I was a teenager and I have seen some weird shit, but nothing like this. But man was never meant to know everything about the ocean. There's a reason sailors tell the strangest stories. Now head below and prepare the ship for a complete overhaul."

Jen started up the slower engine, heading for a sheltered cove. She turned to her cabin, getting dressed for going ashore. Shedding he lighter shipboard clothes, she reached for dark blue military styled pants. As she moved she saw her reflection in the mirror. She ignored the Gaelic words that wrapped around her arms and along her sides. Neart, urraim, ceart, firinne, their meanings burned into her mind and once again she questioned her decision. She pulled on a tight black t-shirt, tucking it into her Coast Guard ODU pants. She bloused her pants into her boots, straightening her pants as she stood up. She buckled her gun belt, slamming the loaded Beretta into its holster. As she reached into her closet to pull out her M-4 a hat fell off the top shelf. With out thinking she reached down and picked it up, and gritted her jaw. On the front of the dark blue hat in gold lettering was USCGC FALCON, with a silver eagle pinned underneath the lettering.

Jen walked out of the cabin, trying hard to focus on the matters at hand. The ship was anchored into the cove. From the bridge she watched several boats being launched. She stepped onto the main deck. "Jimmy, I want you to stay here with Greer. I'll lead the offshore team, set up a campsite. Beach the ship when the tide runs out, I want this ship in the best shape possible."

"Roger that skipper."

Jen climbed down the ladder into a small boat, moving it to the front of her small inflatable fleet. As she moved close to shore she couldn't get the idea out of her mind that this island was strangely familiar.

**AN. As always, press that pretty little button that says review. I'll do my best to update, but no promises.**


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Well, I'm not dead. This chapter has some drug use and those sexual situations I warned you all about. The first one I've ever written so constructive criticism is more than welcome. Oh, and look who pops up!

"Blast it all to hell. Smee?" Smee?! SMEE!"

The portly bosun's mate popped into Captain Hook's cabin. "Did you say something, Cap'n?"

Hook did not raise his head from the crook of his arm, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Close the bloody curtains, you fool."

Smee crossed the cabin, moving things from here to there as he went. Arriving at the curtains he paused, looking out on Neverland. "Pan appears to be in a fine mood today," he said.

Hook only grunted in response, head still on his desk, trying to recapture his lost moments of sleep.

"I wondered what happened?" said Smee.

Hook sat up quickly, grimacing at the sunlight. It was true, however, that Smeed understood uncannily well how the boy's moods affected the island. "Explain, Smee."

Seeing his captain up, Smee began to bustle about the desk, moving things about and putting them back where he had found them. After peeling a piece of parchment from Hook's arm, the captain lost his patience. He grabbed Smee and brought his right hand up to Smee's eye. Only to find the prosthetic hook missing, but the bosun's mate had ascertained the meaning behind the action.

"The sun, Smee. Now," said Hook.

"The sun, oh, right! The sun," said Smee, pushing his glasses up his now sweating nose. "It's big sir. Bigger, than, well, it hasn't been this big since Wendy Darling first came."

Hook released his hapless crewmember. "Wendy…Was it ever that big before her?"

"Only once that I can recall, sir," said Smee. He paused, not sure how to best to continue. "The day he, uh, he fed your hand to the crocodile."

Hook glanced at his stump of an arm, the muscles tensing as though he were trying to clench the long lost hand. "So it doesn't necessarily mean a girl, it just means he's happy."

"I'm guess sir."

"Guessing?"

"Well, no one knows what forces propel the boy and the island. Only that they're connected."

Hook rubbed his face with his left hand and glanced out the window. "Well then…Send a search party out. I want to know if anything has changed."

"Yes, sir." Smee walked to the door.

"Smee?"

"Captain?" Smee turned around.

"Forgetting something?" Hook stood at his desk, the leather harness for his hook dangling from his fingers.

"Ah."

Jen slapped at another mosquito. This was why she didn't join the fucking army. She took off her hat and wiped at her brow and looked up the sun, lying low on the horizon. It should have set by now, but by all appearances hadn't moved in the sky at all. Neither had the tide moved, in or out. It was as though time were frozen.

Two men emerged from the forest onto the beach, drenched in sweat and covered in dirt and bits of foliage. "We found running water ma'am. A small creek with a waterfall."

"Alright. Get a fire going and grabbed some pots from the galley. Get several men to help you. Boil it before rationing it out."

The two men saluted and left to carry out their tasks. Greer moved up beside her. "So, what's the plan?"

"I thought I told you to stay on the ship."

"Not much to do when you can't beach the fucking thing. What the hell is going on, Jen?"

Jen shook her head and looked to the ground. "I don't fucking know. But…I don't know, doesn't this place look familiar to you, or something?"

Greer looked at her, concern written on his face. "It's a fucking deserted island, Jen. You've seen one you've seen 'em all."

"No, something's different about this. How we got here, I mean, c'mon man. Something's got to be going on."

Greer physically turned Jen to face him. "So what, we're dead? That this is some kind of hell to punish us for our sins?"

"This is an awful nice hell."

"Yeah and as heaven goes it sucks. This ain't fucking Neverland and you're not Captain Hook!"

Jen's eyes narrowed and she grabbed Greer harshly by the neck, pulling him to her. "You fucking watch yourself Greer. I'm still captain here." Greer struggled to breath but did not dare to raise a hand against Jen. "Do you fucking get me?"

Jen relaxed her grasp just enough so he could speak. "I get you, ma'am."

"Good, now go supervise the water collection. If I see your face before I want to, I'll fucking shoot you." She released her grip on his throat and walked to the edge of the water.

_Commander John Greer sneezed violently after taking his second hit of coke. He lay on the bed, not really caring enough to move. "So now what?"_

_ Jen shoved at him to get out of the way, but he wouldn't budge. She climbed over him to get to her line. "Jail, I guess. I don't fucking care. I'm done with this place."_

_ John waited until she was done snorting before turning over, careful to not dislodge her, but still jostled her enough to start the complaining up._

_ "Fuck Johnny," she said._

_ John captured her mouth with his. "Well, yes, that's what we're technically doing."_

_ Jen smacked his arm. "Wise ass."_

_ John grinned and grabbed her ass, pulling her even closer. Jen gasped as he entered her. "Fuck." John rolled over, pinning Jen under him and set a brutal pace, the drugs coursing through their systems. It didn't take long for the both of them to be spent. John let out one long groan, grabbing at the comforters before collapsing on Jen, out cold._

_ "You have got to be kidding me," she said, as she shoved against his shoulder to get out from under him. Half leaning off the bed she searched through her clothes until she found her phone. Shaking her head to clear it she sent off a text before following Greer into sleep._

"Captain? Captain?"

"Huh?" Jen was startled by the voice next to her and looked down. One of the younger boys she had picked up off one of the docks across the world was nudging her arm with a cup of water in his hand.

"Agua, señora."

"Oh, thanks….er gracias," said Jen, grabbing the water.

The boy avoided her eyes, "De nada." Without sparing her another glance he ran back to the rest of the crew around the campfire. She followed him with her eyes but when she looked to the crew, all of them looked away, suddenly entranced by the flames.

Jen rubbed her eyes. Shit, she thought. Greer's insubordination was born of over familiarity; her crew's would be a precursor to mutiny. They had to find a way off this island, and soon. She looked around the island, there were cliffs arching over the ocean and a mountain in the center. It was true, the island was familiar. She stared at the cliff face, if there was water up there it would be the best place for a camp. Then she saw it, small black tendrils creeping up into the sky over the cliff. Smoke!

She was about to say something when gunshots rang out. Five large caliber shots followed by the much higher pitched shots from her men's pistols. "Take up positions!" she yelled across the beach. "Wait for my command!"

Several more shots rang out, each one sounding closer and closer. Her men broke out of the dense foliage, two missing, and one who was more carrying than supporting Greer. Jen stood up and motioned them to come to her. "BM1! Hold this beach!"

"Aye aye Captain!"

Greer groaned as he was laid down on the beach. Two medics rushed over and pulled his shirt off to assess the damage. Greer bit back a swear as they jostled his side, still wary of Jen.

Jen looked from Greer to the woods and then back. "Report, Commander."

Greer winced and pulled back as iodine was placed on the wound. "I was overseeing the water collection as ordered. We had already sent to loads back." Jen recalled her cup of water, now lying forgotten on the sand. "Things were moving smoothly when one of the kids, I dunno who, heard something in the woods. I thought it was an animal, something we could cook up so I grabbed some guys and went to check it out. Hadn't got ten feet when these fuckers jumped out and shot at us-AGH FUCK! We killed 'em all but not after they got some hits in."

Jen held out her hand and the medic dropped the bullet into it. "The fuck?"

Greer glared at the medic before glancing at Jen and the bullet in her hand. "Is that-?"

"It's a musket ball. Who the fuck attacked you? What'd they look like?"

Greer tried to concentrate but the pain in his side was growing worse. "Uh…they were white, uh had pistols and machetes, loose clothing. Five or six of 'em."

"Machetes?"

"Captain, where are we?"

Jen ignored the question and turned to her men. "All hands, back to the ship! No one steps foot on this beach without an armed escort. Security personnel, retrieve your rifles and vests from the Gunner's Mates. Gunner's Crew, raise the guns. Anything moves out of that forest turn it to ash. These fuckers messed with the wrong crew. This island is now ours!" Jen looked out at her crew, firmly back in her control. She could kiss who ever those men belonged to.

No one noticed the lone longboat rowing around the cliff face with a single man in a red knit hat in it.


End file.
